Eric Andre picks five of his favourite songs
Eric Andre rose to prominence in 2012 with his hilarious creation, The Eric Andre Show, and since then, he’s established himself as one of his generation’s finest comedic minds. On top of that, Andre also has a killer record collection, as his five favourite songs prove.
Andre’s programme raised attention from the outset due to its innovative approach, which parodies public access television. Since then, he’s starred in the sitcom Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23 and has even made steps into Hollywood. Interestingly, Andre uses music as a device to help him during the creative process, and one band he often turns to when seeking inspiration is Death Grips.
During an interview in 2016 with the American radio station KCRW, Andre highlighted their song ‘Full Moon’ and explained its importance to him. “I love this song, I think it’s great. It helps me think,” Andre said. “It’s like how my mind works. I don’t know, I have never heard anything like it. It was one of the first Death Grip songs I heard and I was so blown away. I feel like they’re the new music. They are really creative.”
He added: “I listen to these guys when I write. They help me write. They are a big influence on the show. For sure. Big time. It’s like coffee and music. That’s the key to good writing.”
After selecting the jazz creation, ‘Be Quick’, by Sonny Rollins, Andre discussed the comparisons between music and comedy. “I think it’s very improvisational. It’s all about timing. A lot of guys who edit the Eric Andre Show are DJs and I thought that was funny,” he commented. “It’s funny that Doug and Luke are DJs and my director said, ‘No, that makes total sense because the way you edit, especially comedy, is all about timing and hitting a note, what feels right and good’. So… there is a lot of connections between all temporal arts. Dance. Music. Comedy.”
Andre also named Venetian Snares’ track ‘Hand Throw’, released by the electronic musician in 2003, and shows the full spectrum of the comedian’s taste. The song also has a crucial role on Andre’s playlist and helps him get in the mood to perform. “I listen to this before I destroy the set of my show. I’ll listen to songs like this to kinda get like hyped up and I’ll listen to this while I write too. It combines what I like about metal and what I like about electronic music,” he explained.
The comic’s playlist of his favourite songs also includes a dosage of hip-hop, with Andre opting for Khia’s ‘My Neck, My Back’, and ‘Lemonade’ by Gucci Mane. Listen to his five selections below.
Eric Andre’s five favourite songs:
- Death Grips – ‘Full Moon’
- Venetian Snares – ‘Hand Throw’
- Sonny Rollins – ‘Be Quick’ *not on Spotify
- Gucci Mane – ‘Lemonade’
- Khia – ‘My Neck, My Back’
